"You just have to step up and realize the quality of the players you are going against,'' Chargers DT Jamal Williams said.

Holmes was restricted to 38 yards on 14 carries, a puny 2.7-yard average before leaving in the third quarter after getting hit by Merriman.

Johnson had 55 yards on six carries, including a career long of 46 yards. That was the longest run by a Chargers rival since Denver's Clinton Portis scored a 58-yard touchdown on Sept. 14, 2003.

On average, the Chargers allow only 78.4 rushing yards per game.

OH YEAH, OLIVEA

It's not often a right tackle can change a game without blocking someone. But that's what Shane Olivea did when recovering Tomlinson's fumble five minutes into the fourth quarter.

"I was definitely Johnny-on-the-spot, and the next play we score a touchdown,'' said Olivea, who's been playing with a sprained knee. "I was fortunate the ball bounced our way and we could keep it alive and then Gates goes to the house.''

Gates scored his third touchdown from 35 yards on the next play.

HEAVY HEART

Chiefs QB Trent Green played despite the death of his father on Thursday. Green didn't practice Friday but accompanied the team out to San Diego on Saturday.

"He would have wanted me to play,'' said Green, who was 31-of-43 for 347 yards and two touchdowns. "I think he would have been proud of the way I played, and he would be proud of the way this team played.''

MR. 300

Drew Brees' passing yardage of 324 yards gave him his first 300-yard game of the season and seventh of his career, counting last year's playoff game against the Jets. Overall, it was the fifth-best performance of his career.

"Today just happened to be one of those days where we need to throw it a lot,'' said Brees, who heaved it 43 times, only seven shy of his career-high.

SEEING RED

The Chargers tacked on two touchdowns in the red zone, where they have had success most the season. They entered the game with a league-high 18 touchdowns inside their rival's 20-yard-line, with a touchdown percentage of .692.

QUICK HITS

+ Tomlinson has three straight touchdown passes, the first person to do it since Minnesota's Daunte Culpepper did it last December in a game against the Packers.

+ Merriman had two sacks; the last time a Charger did that was in 1992, when Chris Mims had three against Tampa Bay.

+ With five catches, Keenan McCardell tied Isaac Bruce for 13th place on the all-time NFL list with 786 receptions. He also passed Andre Rison for 22nd place with 10,207 career receiving yards.